Chemical cocktail in skin summons disease-spreading mosquitoes
Mosquitoes that spread Zika, dengue and yellow fever are guided toward their victims by a scent from human skin. The exact composition of that scent has not been identified until now......»»
How do butterflies stick to branches during metamorphosis?
Most of us learned about butterfly metamorphosis as a kid—a wriggly caterpillar molts its skin to form a tough chrysalis and emerges as a beautiful butterfly. But how exactly do chrysalises stay anchored as the butterfly brews within?.....»»
From fungi to pharmaceuticals: A milestone for the production of eutyscoparol A and violaceoid C
The natural world is rich in chemical compounds with remarkable medicinal properties. A notable example is penicillin, discovered by chance from the Penicillium mold. This discovery revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections and highlighted.....»»
In world first, Russian chess player poisons rival’s board with mercury
At least it wasn't novichok. Enlarge / Amina Abakarova allegedly spreading mercury on her rival's chess board. Russia is no stranger to unique poisonings. State agents have been known to use everything from polonium-lac.....»»
Chemists develop new sustainable reaction for creating unique molecular building blocks
Polymers can be thought of like trains: Just as a train is composed of multiple cars, polymers are made up of multiple monomers, and the couplings between the train cars are similar to the chemical bonds that link monomers together. While polymers ha.....»»
A review of the Epichloë festucae antifungal protein Efe-AfpA
A research team has reviewed the mechanisms behind endophyte-mediated disease resistance in strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra) and identified the antifungal protein Efe-AfpA produced by Epichloë festucae as a key factor against.....»»
Ten years of research shows chlamydia vaccine can save lives of wild koalas
The largest and longest-ever survey of wild koalas has confirmed a chlamydia vaccine, developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast, can protect the animals from developing and dying from the disease......»»
Controversial New Guidelines Would Diagnose Alzheimer’s Before Symptoms Appear
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's, according to expert recommendations, can proceed by detecting the disease's underlying biology, even before the onset of cognitive decline.....»»
Common tree in São Paulo (Brazil) tolerates extreme drought and can help mitigate adverse effects of climate change
One of the three main tree species in São Paulo city, Brazil—the largest mega-city in the southern hemisphere—is the Tipuana (Tipuana tipu), also known as rosewood or tipu, a tall tree with a large spreading canopy. It is tolerant of extreme dro.....»»
Chemical production gets a cleaner boost from a new electrochemical method
A new electrochemical method can make chemical production cleaner and more energy-efficient......»»
Ancient viral elements in RNA kickstart bone repair
Around half of the human genome is composed of DNA fragments originating from ancient viruses. These "transposable elements" (TEs) are now known to play various roles in modulating gene expression and disease development. Now, an international team l.....»»
This Tom Cruise action sequel is No. 1 on Netflix right now. Is it worth watching?
Tom Cruise has the topped the Netflix movie charts with this 2016 action sequel. But is it worth watching? Or is it best ignored like Cocktail or Rock of Ages?.....»»
Researchers reveal atomic-scale details of catalysts" active sites
The chemical and energy industries depend upon catalysts to drive the reactions used to create their products. Many important reactions use heterogeneous catalysts—meaning that the catalysts are in a different phase of matter than the substances th.....»»
Vertically stacked skin-like active-matrix display with ultrahigh aperture ratio
Skin-like displays are critical components of information output in next-generation portable and wearable electronics. Currently, all such displays are fabricated on glass or thick plastic substrates, limiting the inherent mechanical flexibility of o.....»»
Double whammy antibiotic makes antibiotic resistance much harder—new study
Most antibiotics are natural products of bacteria and other microorganisms from the environment. They are part of a silent chemical warfare among microorganisms in soils, rivers and seas right now. The fact that they are natural products that have be.....»»
Machine learning discovers "hidden-gem" materials for heat-free gas separation
Chemical separation, including gas separation, is a common process that is required for manufacturing and research. It accounts for a whopping 15% of U.S. energy consumption and produces millions of tons of carbon emissions......»»
More microbes found that break down the carbon-fluorine bonds found in some unsaturated PFAS
A team of chemical and environmental engineers at the University of California Riverside, working with colleagues from the University of California Los Angeles, has found a class of microbes that consume PFAS in the environment and sever some of the.....»»
Researchers develop a concept for efficiency-enhanced noble-metal catalysts
The production of more than 90% of all chemical products we use in our everyday lives relies on catalysts. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions, can reduce the energy required for these processes, and in some cases, reactions would not be possible a.....»»
Chemical and transportation industries could boost with new catalyst coating
Coupling electrochemical conversion of the greenhouse gas CO2 with renewable electricity sources—such as solar and wind—promises green production of high-demand chemicals and transportation fuels. Carbon dioxide coupling products such as ethylene.....»»
Breakthrough in plant disease: New enzyme could lead to anti-bacterial pesticides
Plant diseases pose significant challenges to agricultural productivity, presenting formidable hurdles that require urgent attention. Left unchecked, these diseases can spread rapidly, inflicting widespread damage on crops and leading to reduced yiel.....»»
Metallic nanosheets curl into nanovesicles
Inspired by the cell membrane structure, researchers, led by Dr. Xiaoqing Huang (State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University) and Dr. Qi Shao (College of Chemistry and.....»»